A large portion of commercially raised pork is limited in value because conventional preparation methods result in meat that is unacceptably tough and dry. A variety of methods have been used to tenderize naturally tough pork, such as mechanically interrupting the muscle fibers of the pork. However, none of these methods have produced a pork product that can be cooked using conventional preparation methods, and that results in a post-preparation product that is consistently tender and suitable for human consumption.
Therefore, it would be useful to have a method of tenderizing pork so that the pork can be cooked using conventional methods, and that results in a post-preparation pork product that is consistently tender and suitable for human consumption.
According to one embodiment, there is provided a method of tenderizing pork, the method comprising providing an amount of pork, and treating the pork with a composition comprising an enzyme mixture where the enzyme mixture consists of between about 98.7% and about 99.7% bromelin, between about 0.02% and about 0.08% ficin and between about 0.01% and about 0.05% papain. In one embodiment the enzyme mixture consists of between about 98.7% and about 99.7% bromelin, between about 0.02% and about 0.08% ficin and between about 0.01% and about 0.05% papain. In another embodiment, the enzyme mixture consists of between about 99% and about 99.4% bromelin, between about 0.04% and about 0.06% ficin and between about 0.02% and about 0.04% papain. In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme mixture consists of about 98.2% bromelin, about 0.05% ficin and about 0.03% papain.
In one embodiment, the enzyme mixture is present in an amount of between about 0.5% and about 6% of the composition. In another embodiment, the enzyme mixture is present in an amount of between about 0.7% and about 2% of the composition. In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme mixture is present in an amount of about 1% of the composition.
In another embodiment, the composition used to treat the pork additionally comprises a carrier, such as NaCl. In a preferred embodiment, the carrier is present in an amount of between about 25% and about 99% of the composition or in an amount of between about 50% and about 99% of the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the carrier is present in an amount of about 98.5% of the composition.
In one embodiment, the composition used to treat the pork additionally comprises a processing aid, such as soybean oil. In a preferred embodiment, the processing aid is present in an amount of between about 0.1% and about 2% of the composition. In another preferred embodiment, the processing aid is present in an amount of between about 0.3% and about 1% of the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the processing aid is present in an amount of about 0.5% of the composition.
In a preferred embodiment, the composition used to treat the pork comprises about 98.4% carrier, about 1.1% enzyme mixture and about 0.5% processing aid.
In one embodiment, the pork provided is partially or completely skinned, boned or both. In another embodiment, the method additionally comprises removing waste products or excess fat or both from the pork.
In another embodiment, the pork provided is an amount between about 0.1 kg and about 10,000 kg. In yet another embodiment, the pork provided is an amount between about 100 kg and 6000 kg.
In one embodiment, the ratio of weight of the composition to the total weight of the pork being treated with the composition is between about 1:200 and about 1:1500. In another embodiment, the ratio of weight of the composition to the total weight of the pork being treated with the composition is between about 1:450 and about 1:650.
In a preferred embodiment, treating the pork comprises injecting the pork with a solution comprising the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the solution injected additionally comprises ice, NaCl and potable water. In another preferred embodiment, the solution injected is between about 6% and about 15% of the weight of the pork being injected. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the solution injected is about 10% of the weight of the pork being injected.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises adding to the pork one or more than one substance selected from the group consisting of flavoring, NaCl, moisture enhancing agents, preservatives, and potable water. In another embodiment, the method further comprises tumbling the treated pork at a pressure and rotation speed selected to more evenly distribute the enzyme mixture throughout the treated pork. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure is a near vacuum. In another preferred embodiment, the rotation speed is about between about 10 and about 15 revolutions per minute.
In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises exposing the treated pork to a relative vacuum a closed container, such as a polymer bag. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the relative vacuum is about xe2x88x921.5 bar.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises packaging the treated pork in a commercial package. In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises cooking the treated pork. In a particularly preferred embodiment, cooking the treated pork comprises raising the core temperature of the treated pork to about 65xc2x0 C.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises distributing the treated pork to an intermediate wholesale or retail establishment.